Dark Light Towers Leave Joe Station Park Unlit
Tulsa dog owners who visit after sunset face a park where most lighting has been out for about two years.
Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Dogs
Live Poll
Do you trust your city to keep public parks well maintained and safe?
Regulars at Joe Station Dog Park on Charles Page Boulevard in Tulsa say several large light towers have stopped working, leaving most of the park dark after sunset. The Tulsa Parks Department has not resolved repeated requests for additional lighting.
Why it matters
With daylight saving time ending Nov. 1, 2026, evenings at the park are shortening, and visitors say the lack of light makes it hard to pick up after dogs and raises safety concerns for people visiting alone. Tulsa dog owners who rely on the park after work have fewer usable hours.
Joe Station Dog Park's posted hours run 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday and 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday. Regulars say the smaller LED lights do not illuminate the entire park, and some visitors clip small lights to their dogs' collars to track them after sunset.
The players
Joe Station Dog Park
A Tulsa off-leash park on Charles Page Boulevard whose posted hours run from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. most days.
Tulsa Parks Department
The city agency that maintains Tulsa's parks, including lighting and maintenance requests at Joe Station Dog Park.
The details
Several large light towers at the park have stopped working, and by about two years ago all of them had gone out. After Dennis Williams, who has visited the park for six years, spoke with a parks employee, the city installed several smaller LED lights partway up two poles, but those do not light the whole park. When Williams followed up asking for more lighting, he was told the employee was an intern who was no longer working there. Regulars have submitted maintenance requests online and called parks offices, and visitors typically arrive around 8:30 p.m. in summer to avoid the heat.
Timeline
About two years ago: all light towers at the park stopped working.
Nov. 1, 2026: daylight saving time ends, shortening evenings at the park.
The Home Front
Dog parks are a common amenity for city residents who lack yards, so lighting failures reduce how much of the year those households can use them. The shorter evenings that follow the November clock change make a working light system more important for daily dog-walking routines.
If you use Joe Station Dog Park, plan visits for daylight hours and consider a clip-on light for your dog's collar after sunset. Keep a record of any maintenance requests you file so you can follow up with the Tulsa Parks Department.
The takeaway
Shorter fall evenings make a working light system at a neighborhood park far more important for dog owners. Keep a backup light for your dog's collar and note each maintenance request you submit to the city.
Further reading
For more on caring for your dog around town, see Dogs coverage in Tulsa.
Source note: This article includes information reported by News On 6.
Live Poll
Do you trust your city to keep public parks well maintained and safe?
